Monday, May 24, 2010

* Students involved in saving the Presidents Island One Room School House conducted oral history interviews on 17 May 2010 and 24 May 2010. Below are the transcripts from these interviews.The first transcript is from 17 May 2010 and four members of the Munn family were interviewed. This interview was conducted by members of Mr. Scott's Facing History and AP U.S. History classes.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oral History InterviewPresidents Island School AlumniMonday 17 May 2010East High School Rm. 206

Island Life1.) What is your nameDelorise Munn LittleIvory Munn WoodsE.Z. WoodsLizzie Louise Munn Banks2.) How old are you?Delorise Munn Little-62Ivory Munn Woods-65E.Z. Woods-73Lizzie Louise Munn Banks- 593.) Do you currently live in Memphis?Yes, all currently live in Memphis.4.) Were your parents sharecroppers?No, Grandfather George Munn was from Mississippi, he bought land at 75 cents an acre. Grandmother Pearl Munn was a Indian slave at 6 years old.5.) What was life like for the people?Overall, good life. Raised their own meat: ducks, turkeys. Raised their own food: corn, honey. Most people worked on farms. There were Christians of all denominations. At Christmas they got fruit for presents: plums, blackberries. Easter celebrated the same way. E.Z. went to school in church at New Hope Baptist Church.6.) Do you know of any photographs of the island community or school?None, the land the school was on and the cemetery are still there.7.) What did the inhabitants of the island do for a living/ fun?Played baseball, went swimming, fishing, horseback riding, knocked pecans out of trees.8.) Was the Presidents island community segregated like the schools?There were all blacks on Presidents Island.9.) Were there white children on the island? Where did they go to school and were there interactions between black and white children?No10.)Where were you during the flood that destroyed the Presidents Island School?They had to live in tents until the water went down. The Red Cross had to come out twice because of the flooding.

Presidents Island School

1.) When did you attend Presidents Island School?All started at 6 years old. E.Z. started school in 19432.) Did your parents go to this school?No3.) How many members of your family went to this school?All 7 brothers and sisters.4.) Could you provide us with the specific location of this school?On Presidents Island by church and cemetery on 130 acres of private property. Stilts still sit there.5.) Have you ever seen a map of this community?Skipped this question6.) Is there anyone who could draw a map of this community?Skipped this question7.) What happened to Mrs. Elenora Devers? Were there other teachers?She got sick and passed away. Mr. Bland (Teacher) Jim Ella Cotton (Supervisor)8.) How long was the school day? What months did you go to school?June 4- September 4. Walked to school and got out at 3:00pm. Teacher would open door to let the students know when she was there. She would ring the church bell when church was in session. They would have to walk to school in all weather: snow, rain, or heat.9.) What subjects did they teach when you went to Presidents Island School?Science, English, Arithmetic, each grade sat together. Advanced students taught smaller kids.10.)Could you tell us your fondest memory of Presidents Island Schools?Delorise Munn Little- Being with the kidsIvory Munn Woods- everybody had to bring something to cookE.Z. Woods- concession sale ladyLizzie Louise Munn Banks- switching lunches with each other11.) When did the school close?1960s about 196512.) Where did the students go after the school closed?Memphis Schools13.) Were you still living on the island when the school was closed?No14.) Could you help us locate some other alumni of Presidents Island?Yes, Delorise would pass the information on to them.15.) What year did you leave Presidents Island?Delorise Munn Little- about 1960Ivory Munn Woods- 1956E.Z. Woods- 1958Lizzie Louise Munn Banks- about 1965-1966

Beyond Presidents Island

1.) Were things better at the new school after the island school closed?Memphis schools were more advanced. It was better once they learned to adjust.2.) Where did you go to school after you left the island school?Delorise Munn Little- Manassas, Booker T. WashingtonIvory Munn Woods- Lincoln, ManassasE.Z. Woods- finished school at 8th gradeLizzie Louise Munn Banks- Carver, attended school in Germany3.) Did the children from the island school go on to college?Very few went to college. Lizzie did, Shelby State4.) Did you experience desegregation? How?No, they didn’t know the difference, they kept unlocked doors and slept on the porch.5.) Since it is an industrial park today, what happened to the Presidents Island community? Where did they migrate?Memphis6.) When was the Presidents Island School moved to the Mid-South Fairgrounds?No idea7.) Do you ever go back to Presidents Island?Yes, once a week8.) When was the last time you saw the school?At the fairgrounds (E.Z. at Presidents Island)

Philosophical

1.) Did going to a One Room School give you a different outlook on life and if so – how?It didn’t change their outlook. That was life.2.) What were the advantages of a One Room School?They were as fond of each other as if they were family. The purpose of going to school was to learn.3.) What were the disadvantages of a One Room School?The island schools were less advanced that Memphis City Schools. They didn’tsee it when they went to the Presidents Island School.4.) Having experienced segregated schools can you give us examples of the inequalities that they caused?The Memphis Schools were more advanced. They didn’t know any better.5.) Why do you think that we should save the One Room School House and the memories of the events that took place there?It is a part of their heritage

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The second transcript is from 24 May 2010. the interview of Robert Fields was conducted by Jaylyn Johnson.

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Oral History InterviewPresidents Island School AlumniMonday 24 May 2010East High School Rm. 206

Island Life

1.) What is your name?Robert Lee Fields2.) How old are you?613.) Do you currently live in Memphis?No, Southhaven, Mississippi.4.) Were your parents sharecroppers?They worked on a farm.5.) What was life like for the people?It was great; a nice time, dirt eoads, no bright lights, fewer kids. he prefers to in the country.6.) Do you know of any photographs of the island community or school?No photographs od school.7.) What did the inhabitants of the island do for a living/ fun?Work, jump fences, run, and ride horses. (started working on the field at the age of 8)8.) Was the Presidents island community segregated like the schools?Presidents Island School was all black9.) Were there white children on the island? Where did they go to school and were there interactions between black and white children?Yes, big white house they visited to play

Presidents Island School

1.) When did you attend Presidents Island School?1955 – 1963. left in Marc of 1965 and moved to Memphis, Tennessee2.) Did your parents go to this school?No3.) How many members of your family went to this school?Brothers and sisters4.) Could you provide us with the specific location of this school?Way off from the main highway next to grave yard on tall stilts5.) Have you ever seen a map of this community?(Skipped this question)6.) Is there anyone who could draw a map of this community?(Skipped this question)7.) What happened to Mrs. Elenora Devers? Were there other teachers?She was a nice lady. She retired after he moved to Detroit. He used to visit her, she was one of the best teachers, better than teachers at carver.”you did it you got a whooping.” She died after 1970.8.) How long was the school day? What months did you go to school?Walked to school. It started at 8 and ened at 3. (September – May)9.) What subjects did they teach when you went to Presidents Island School?Science, English, Math, and History10.)Could you tell us your fondest memory of Presidents Island Schools?Munns, Bells got along well.11.) When did the school close?1963 only 3 (Lizzie, George, and Ray) closed in 196412.) Where did the students go after the school closed?All went to Carver High School13.) Were you still living on the island when the school was closed?No14.) Could you help us locate some other alumni of Presidents Island?Sure, will get in touch with the Bells and the Shoolers.15.) What year did you leave Presidents Island?1965

Beyond Presidents Island

1.) Were things better at the new school after the island school closed?Memphis blended in2.) Where did you go to school after you left the island school?Carver High School3.) Did the children from the island school go on to college?Don’t know if anyone went to college4.) Did you experience desegregation? How?Carver High Scool was all black and maybe had 3 white teachers.5.) Since it is an industrial park today, what happened to the Presidents Island community? Where did they migrate?Memphis6.) When was the Presidents Island School moved to the Mid-South Fairgrounds?No because he moved to Detroit. Used to come down and visit graveyard.7.) Do you ever go back to Presidents Island?1980’s last time went to Presidents Island8.) When was the last time you saw the school?(Skipped this question)

Philosophical

1.) Did going to a One Room School give you a different outlook on life and if so – how?They all got along, played, learned a lot. It was all they knew. Mom and teacher taught them. They had nothing to do on Presidents Island except learn and play.2.) What were the advantages of a One Room School?(skipped this question).3.) What were the disadvantages of a One Room School?Disadvantages were no lights, no tv, no air conditioner,dirt/sand roads4.) Having experienced segregated schools can you give us examples of the inequalities that they caused?(skipped this question).5.) Why do you think that we should save the One Room School House and the memories of the events that took place there?His brother in law went to the school and mr. fields really loves Presidents Island School and wantsto keep it

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Question of the week:

After reviewing the transcripts are there any other questions that should be asked in future interviews?

Friday, April 16, 2010

As of now we do know that several Rosenwald Schools existed in Shelby County Tennessee.Our research,however, has not revealed if Julius Rosenwald had any influence in the creation of the Presidents Island One Room Schoolhouse. After reading this article, answer the following question:

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Memphis East High School is planning to move a one room school house that was once located on Presidents Island. This one room school house was a sharecropping school that had one teacher and at least 40 to 50 students, grades 1 through 8.

Our purpose is to turn this one room school house into a walk through museum on the grounds of East High School. The museum will serve as a commemoration to Sharecropper Schools, Plessy V. Ferguson, Freedmen's Burreau School, and Brown V. Board of Education.Question of the week:Why Should we save the one room schoolhouse?

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About Me

I am a one room sharecrooper's schoolhouse that was once located on Presidents Island, and now currently located on the property formerly known as the MidSouthFair Grounds. I am soon to be saved by East High School's Facing History And Ourselves and Advanced Placement United States History Students, and their teacher Mr. Mark Scott.